Miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of an embryo or fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. Most miscarriages occur before the end of the first trimester (<13 weeks). Although many risk factors relate to this occurrence, genetic factors play the most important role. Chromosomal abnormalities, including both numerical and structural anomalies, underlie the majority of miscarriages. In this study, we employed a comprehensive approach using cytogenetic karyotyping, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping, and microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (arrayCGH) in combination to analyze chromosomal profiles of 115 first-trimester miscarriages of Chinese women. Seventy cases (61%) were found to have chromosomal anomalies, of which 90% were numerical and 10% were structural. Cytogenetic karyotyping identified 78.6% (55/70), PCR assays 2.9% (2 triploids), and arrayCGH 18.6% (13/70) of the anomalies. In this study, a microdeletion of 108 kb and four microduplications sizing from 300 to 1460 kb were observed. An advantage of using this combination approach is that microsatellite genotyping and arrayCGH can be accomplished in spite of culture failure and maternal cell contamination. In addition, arrayCGH can detect submicroscopic chromosomal anomalies and gene dosage alterations.

It is well known that the aberrant expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) on tumor cells impairs antitumor immunity. To date, in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the relationship between PD-L1 expression and host-tumor immunity is not well defined. Here, the expression levels of PD-L1 and CD8(+) T cell infiltration were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) specimens from 167 HCC patients undergoing resection. A significant positive association was found between PD-L1 expression and the presence of CD8(+) T cell (p < 0.0001). Moreover, constitutive PD-L1 protein expression was not detected by western blot in HepG2, Hep3B, and 7402 HCC cancer cell lines; but co-cultured these cell lines with INFγ, a cytokine produced by activated CD8(+) T cells, remarkably upregulated PD-L1 expression. In fresh frozen HCC specimens, INFγ was found to be significantly correlated with PD-L1 and CD8(+) gene expression, as evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). These findings indicate that increased PD-L1 level may represent an adaptive immune resistance mechanism exerted by tumor cells in response to endogenous antitumor activity. Both increased intratumoral PD-L1 and CD8(+) were significantly associated with superior DFS (CD8(+): p = 0.03; PD-L1: p = 0.023) and OS (CD8(+): p = 0.001 and PD-L1: p = 0.059), but PD-L1 expression was not independently prognostic. In conclusions, PD-L1 upregulation is mainly induced by activated CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells pre-existing in HCC milieu rather than be constitutively expressed by the tumor cells, and it is a favorable prognostic factor for HCC.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonography in assessing laryngeal cancer. Methods: 72 patients with laryngeal carcinoma proven by surgery and pathology were enrolled. The pre-therapeutic ultrasonography and CT images were retrospectively evaluated, including tumour detection, localisation and invasion of intra-and extralaryngeal structures. A comparative assessment was made between the detection rate, correspondence rate of localisation and sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography and CT. The mobility of the larynx was observed on real-time ultrasonography and compared with laryngoscopy. Results: The detection rate of ultrasonography [63 (87.5%)/72] was lower than that of CT [72 (100.0%)/72] (p50.006). The primary foci were accurately located in 59 (93.7%) of 63 lesions using ultrasonography compared with 70 (97.2%) of 72 lesions using CT (p50.392). In the evaluation of invasion, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography were similar to that of CT in most of the intra-and extralaryngeal structures (p50.059-1.000). A higher specificity was obtained during the assessment of the paraglottic space involvement when using ultrasonography than CT (94.9% vs 66.7%, p50.001). For vocal cord fixation, no statistical difference was found between ultrasonography and laryngoscopy (p50.223). Conclusion: Ultrasonography could be used as a valuable supplementary imaging method to CT and laryngoscopy in the assessment of laryngeal carcinoma, even in male adults with some calcifications of the thyroid cartilage. Advances in knowledge: Our study demonstrates that ultrasonography, which has been used scarcely in the larynx, could supply useful information on the detection, localisation and intra-and extralaryngeal invasion of laryngeal carcinoma.

ABSTRACT. The GAL4/UAS binary system has been widely used in Drosophila melanogaster for ectopic expression of transgenes in a tissue-specific manner. The GMR-GAL4 driver, which expresses the yeast transcription factor GAL4 under the control of glass multiple reporter (GMR) promoter elements, has been commonly utilized to express target transgenes, specifically in the developing eye. However, we have observed abnormal wing phenotypes; this is a result of the activity of critical wing developing genes, e.g., components of the Notch or Wg pathway, that are up-or down-regulated under the control of the GMR-GAL4 driver. X-gal staining confirmed that UAS-LacZ is expressed in third-instar larva wing imaginal discs, as well as in eye discs, when driven by the GMR-GAL4 driver. Furthermore, we found that GMR-GAL4 also drives UAS-LacZ expression in other tissues, such as brain, trachea, and leg discs. These results indicate that GMR-GAL4 has a broad expression profile, rather than the eye-specific pattern described previously, and that one should be careful when using it as a tool for targeted gene expression.

The fragments produced in the reaction of 18 Oϩ 9 Be at 60 MeV/nucleon were measured experimentally. The isotopic distribution of the fragmentation reaction products was well reproduced by using a modified statistical abrasion-ablation model. This model predicts that the fragment isotopic distribution at a fixed atomic number Z shifts towards the neutron rich side for the neutron-rich projectile. This isospin effect will decrease with decreasing the fragment atomic number Z and disappear when (Z proj -Z)/Z proj becomes larger than 0.5. It was shown that the disappearance of the isospin effect of fragmentation reaction is induced by the geometry effect in abrasion stage and the evaporation effect later.